When Monis asked Mr Morton-Hoffman to check online media reports, which said five people had escaped by that point, he persuaded Monis the media had it wrong.

The inquest, before NSW coroner Michael Barnes, also earlier heard Mr Morton-Hoffman calmed Monis a number of times throughout the siege and attempted to bargain with the gunman.

At one point, Mr Morton-Hoffman offered to print Monis an Islamic State group flag if the gunman allowed one of the pregnant women go, as Monis became increasingly agitated and threatening when his request of the flag was denied.

In the early hours of the following morning, Mr Morton-Hoffman led the escape of six hostages - including himself - as Monis fired a shot at the fleeing group.

A few minutes later Fiona Ma escaped through the kitchen and Monis fired a second shot in her direction.

Monis then told those who were left they would be okay and ordered cafe manager Tori Johnson to his knees with his hands behind his head.

The final stage of the inquest, which has been described by coroner Barnes as one of the most complex in Australia with implications for national security, is set to look at what happened during the siege itself and the police response to it.

UK police experts who compiled a report into the siege are expected to give evidence that the overall police response to the siege was appropriate, but they queried whether the trigger for the emergency action plan - death of injury of a hostage - could have been set lower.

The weapons used by TOU officers — heavy-fire M4A1 carbines — will also be scrutinised.

Criticism over the way information was delivered to families of hostages during the siege is also expected, as the inquest heard last week the families of Mr Johnson and Ms Dawson "effectively deduced their loved one had been killed by a process of elimination".

The coroner started hearing evidence in May 2015 and is expected to hand down his findings later this year.